The Left Path
by Devin Warren
Summary: Things happen for a reason and things in life have a different path to follow. He had choosen this path for his son, now all he could do was see where his son went with it.


A/N: Srry, srry, srry, srry. I know I haven't updated my last story and I got ride of my other. Bt I have the chapter for Elysium done I just need to find a new beta mine not responding to my emails. Also here is a new story that is going to have a sister story, that when you read the intro. Will be taking the other path. It's a little jumpy so bare with me. Also looking for a beta for this story too.

Intro

He was sitting at home locked up in his room when he received the order. He had not noticed the hawk fly in through his window while he was too entranced with the cleaning of his sword. He only did notice as the hawk had pecked him on the side of the head to get his attention. He looked at it as if it was his first time seeing a hawk before he noticed a scroll tied to its leg. The nine year old's little hand reached for the leg and detached the scroll from it's bonds. He slowly read the note and sighed as he let it fall from his hand and burst into flames.

It seems that Mizuki, an academy teacher had stolen a forbidden scroll, and his master wanted it. Standing up he began slipping on his Anbu gear and headed for the window, but stopped. His uncle Kakashi was watching him today, he better tell him he was going out so the man wouldn't get surprised when he noticed he was missing. Naruto headed for his bedroom door and stuck his head out to yell that he was going out. When he got a reply from Kakashi he slipped on his mask and jumped out the window.

He adjusted his katana on his back as he scouted the area trying to pick up on Mizuki's chakra signature. When he finally located it he sprinted off in that direction performing hand signs as he ran straight off the roof and vanished in a blue glow.

Mizuki had done it. He was quite surprised he was able to pull it off with the Yondaime in office. However, his master was right that the man would be too distracted to even notice that someone had broken in and stolen the thing. What a fool. His master should have been namer Hokage instead of this fool. He stopped on a branch and pulled out a map to see what direction he needed to go to get to his masters hidden base.

He couldn't wait to get back anr receive his reward. He was hoping it was one of those curse seals he only handed out to his best ninja. Or to be put in charge of those select five. The Sound 6 sounded better then the Sound 5 in his opinion. He sighed as he realized he was getting way too far ahead of himself. Mizuki stared at the map before applying blood to the seal. Lines began to appear taking shape of his location and his destination. He smiled as he noticed that he wasn't too far.

He quickly resealed the scroll and shoved it back into his vest. He adjusted his gear so he was prepared for an ambush of some sort. Not that anyone knew that he had left. He was to vigilante on making sure no one knew. With that in mind he bent his legs and leapt off the branch only to see a flash of blue light and then darkness.

Naruto had teleported himself right in front of the man with the scroll, who was leaping off a branch as he appeared, barley giving himself time to act. Not that it mattered. Naruto quickly unsheathed his katana and sliced through the man's neck, taking the head clean off. He quickly wiped his katana clean of blood and sheathed it just as the body hit the ground. He turned and looked down at the body that lay before him.

What was he doing? He was working for a man that was trying to over through his father just because he was childishly angry at the man. He couldn't do this, especially when this was supposed to be the last piece that the traitor needed to take over. He bent down and picked up the scroll. He sighed staring at it before pulling out a smaller sealing scroll. He sealed the scroll and put it away before turning back to the lifeless body. He had made a clean cute as there was hardly any blood to be seen. He knelt down and stared at the body trying to see if he felt any remorse in sending this man to hell.

He felt nothing. Not even feeling a little sorry for the man. And that was bad.

'_When it starts feeling like your wiping your own ass that's when you need to get out.'_

He knew what one of his masters meant now. He stared at his left forearm seeing a little lump there. Showing his freedom, that was there for the taking. All he had to do was remove it and survive this battle and he was free. He smiled as he stood. If he didn't survive well, he was still free wasn't he.

With that Naruto raised his right hand and pointed two fingers like his hand was a gun. The two fingers began to glow blue and with one swift motion the lump was removed from his arm and he was surrounded in seconds.

Naruto shook his head quickly to shake off the pain of his arm which was healing quickly on its own. After he came back to his senses, he stared at the ring of taller men that surrounded him. "All this for a nine year old?"

"Namikaze-Dono what are you doing?" A blonde man stepped forward. A man that was usually always by their masters side.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" the blonde boy said rolling his neck to get the kinks out.

"Why are you doing this? You are Danzo-Sama's second in command."

"More like lap dog." Naruto stared at the man then at the rest. "Are you going to stop me or what, because I'm gonna go to my father and ask for forgiveness. It's your move."

"It's not like you could talk." The black haired man that was standing next to the blonde man said as he pulled out a katana. "The seal won't allow you too."

"Do you not remember who my father is?" Naruto bent into a stance as he glared at them. "So, if you want to stop me come at me now."

All of the men around looked at the tall blonde man who got in his own stance and nodded. The fight was on.

Namikaze Minato was not in the best of moods. The piles of paper work that sat on his desk were getting higher and higher. He couldn't spend time with his son, and the women that he loved… well we'll just leave it at that. Jiraiya was no where to be found, probably peeping at the hot springs. And Itachi's mission was a success at a high cost. He didn't believe anything could make this day worse.

As if on queue a bloody Anbu appeared in a flash a blue that looked remarkably like his Harishin. He let it roll off him seeing as this Anbu seemed to be one of Danzo's which most likely means he spoke to soon about his not being able to get worse.

"What seems to be the occasion that brings one of Danzo's lackies to me?" Minato leaned back in his chair noticing that this Ni operative was covered in blood. "Or has he sent you to try and assassinate me?"

"Father." The young boys voice sounded raspy and dry, tired and dead. "Help me, please I can't take it anymore."

Minato sat up quickly and angrily. "Is this some sick joke?"

The Ni operative reached up and behind him making Minato prepare himself for anything. But, with a tug of the strings in the back of the boy's head, the mask that was placed on the young boys face fell and revealed something Minato never wanted to see. The lifless blue eyes of his son staring at him begging for help as he was covered in blood.

"Help me please." Minato was in front of his son in an instant.

"Naruto what happened? Tell me everything." Naruto shook his head and pointed at his mouth. "Naruto don't be stubborn." Minato watched as Naruto stuck out causing Minato to clench his fist. He stared at the seal for a good while before performing a series of hand seals and touching his son's tongue. The black ink lifted of the pink appendage before vaporizing into the air. "Tell me everything."

So Naruto did. He told him from the very beginning to why he did it. And that he didn't want to do it any more.

"Don't worry son." Minato stood and snapped his finger three times. Three med nins appeared and picked up Naruto. "Take him to intensive care." He watched them carry his son out of the Hokage's office. He turned to the window a clenched his fist. "This will all be taken care of."

He stared at the paper work that currently laid in front of him. He sighed. On one hand he could use his son as an under cover agent and on the other he could let his son be a civilian for a while and just live his life. With a shake of his head he signed the paper on the left crumbling the paper work on his right in is fist. That would be his decision, he would stick to it.

He looked at the balled hand hopping he wasn't making the wrong decision. With that he tossed the paper into the trash.

Chapter 1ne

Civilian Life

For the last seven years, it's the same thing. At six a.m. his alarm clock goes off but he is already up and climbing back into the window of his own bedroom. To make it seem like he is loosing his touch he grabs the nearest object, which happens to be his biology book, and chucks it at the alarm clock. The crash of the book hitting the wall and the radio anouncer's voice getting louder signals to the person down stairs that he had missed his intended target.

"Goooood morning, Konoha! It's 65 blazing degrees not including the humidity, but we've hits of the century playing this fine morning to get your blood pumpin'! This is Takamato Chimni, spinnin' these jams for you on 102.9 WQRE's Mornin Wake up Call. Here we go now wt Angel's and Airways 'Secret Crowds'!"

Naruto grins as he fully steps into his room softly making his way over to the alarm clock and turning it off. It wasn't that he wasn't supposed to train, it was that his father wanted him supervised by his 'Senseis'. Huh some senseis they were. One is never to be found, to busy writing his stupid book. Another had to go on a mission that killed his own clan, and now is in hiding. And the other one was weaker then he was. Also his father wanted him to get used to being civilian for awhile before he jumps back into to being a shinobi again. He said that seven years ago.

Getting used to the civilian world had taken some time, and now he was entering High School, Senior year. He headed to the bathroom and jumped into the shower. He could say it had been a hard transition, for what a waste of time it has been. At least that's how he felt. He jumped out of the shower and into his school attire. He turned to look in the mirror to see himself in a school uniform, his mind making it change into Anbu uniform that he had worn seven years ago. His face, with no baby fat, stares back at him from the mirror as he wipes the moister off to get a better look. He isn't particularly displeases with it. In, fact he's rather pleased with the way he's turned out. Bright blonde hair, dark sky blue eyes, chiseled features that if he wanted to could break some hearts. He quickly shook his head and grabbed his book bag and headed down stairs. At least he got something from his father.

Banishing his anger for his father to the back of his mind, because last time he dwelled on them he got into this situation. He grabs a piece of toast and shoved it into his mouth remembering that it really didn't matter that he had snuck in since his room mate, had to prepare his to Chuunin to take the Jounin exam. Poor bastards. He remembered Kakashi telling him about them. The last of a clan, a fan girl that had amazing chakra control, but didn't have her head in the right direction, and an Inuzuka that was a wild one. He really hadn't cared much to listen as he really… nope he just really didn't care about a group of Chuunin. Surprised, yes, that the council probably pushed Kakashi to pass a team back then. He shakes his head to get going letting the piece of toast hang out the corner of his mouth and head out the door.

He is instantly assaulted by the sun's rays making him block his eyes before they got adjusted, which didn't take long. The school he was attending wasn't that far along the way. Maybe three, or four blocks. He decided to make sure that he had everything so he grabbed his bag and began to sort through it as he walked. Sensing a person coming his way he shifted to the right a little only for the person to still run into him making him drop his books.

"Why don't you watch where you're going dobe."

He takes a moment to compose himself, and then glared at the raven haired teen that stood in front of him, before he bent down and began to pick up his school stuff off the ground and shoving them back into his bag. "Yeah sure." Naruto said standing up after finishing. Naruto throws his bag over his shoulder, really not caring if he has everything now. If he didn't he would deal with it. He just needed to get away from this, kid before he lost his temper, which he seemed to be doing lately. He pushed past the kid and began to walk away only for the raven haired teen to flash in front of him.

"I am a Shinobi of Konoha, and an Uchiha. You will show me the proper respect." The Uchiha said arms crossed and a smirk across his face.

Naruto feels a flash of rage at this impudent… okay calm down, do not kill this tad pole, just walk away. "Sure," with that Naruto vanished from the Uchiha's sight surprising the ravened haired boy. "Or I can ignore a pompous Genin and get going on my merry way. Besides, I am almost late for class." He just had to say that didn't he?

The Uchiha flipped around quickly to see that the sunny haired blonde was behind him walking away. "How dare you walk away from me! I am, mother fucking Uchiha Sasuke! A Chuunin, not a Genin of Konoha. Who, the fuck, do you think you are?!" With that Sasuke ran at the fellow teen who didn't even seem to care to turn to him when he was yelling at him. What impudence. He pulled back his fist thinking that a single punch would end this with a civilian. Naruto was just gonna walk away realizing who the little shit was. Hell he didn't need his dad getting angry at him for harming the village's baby. But then that son of a bitch had to do it. He smirked at Namikaze Naruto like he was nothing, he could not stand for that. "I told you to show some respect to the Uchiha, didn't I- oof?"

The blonde had quickly side stepped and grabbed a hold of the Uchiha's wrist before yanking it forward and shoving his fist into the boy's stomach. The Uchiha bent over to rest on the blonde's arm and try and catch his breath. Naruto shook his head at the boy and backed up and let Sasuke fall to the ground, wheezing in pain as he tried to breath.

Naruto didn't even look back; all he did was disappear in a flash of blue light. When he had appeared behind his school gym, he had to wonder why that idiot was even near the civilian district any ways. Not really caring he quickly wiped of the imaginary dust that was on him. He looked around one last time before making his trek to the main hall of the school and stepped through the doors. And everything went to hell.

"Uzumaki!" a foot landed on his face and he rolled back wards and on to his feet.

"What the hell!" Naruto yelled pointing at the idiot who had dared, even though he saw it coming a mile away, kick him in the face. "Kyo, I'll fucking kill you."

"You're late!" The orange haired teen, with cat like orange eyes bellowed when he caught his friend at the front door of the school. "Where the hell have you been!"

Naruto just grinned as he put his hands behind his head and walked past the other youth. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He grinned, "Just know that if what I did gets reported I probably won't be seeing you for a while."

Evidently that just angered his friend even more, for he was tackled this time to the ground. "I'll destroy you, you bastard! You're an hour late and that's all you have to say for your self!" A sickly grin came across Kyo's face as he stopped struggling with Naruto and just held him down. "Your loss, we got a new girl this semester and she's a knock out."

"As cute as Torue."

"Shut your mouth about her you bastard!" Kyo began to beat on Naruto only for Naruto's legs to come up, hook Kyo's arms and slam him into the ground.

"I didn't say anything about her idiot!" Naruto yelled at the struggling Kyo.

"What ever."

"Toushiro, are you just gonna stand there and watch this idiot keep attacking me." Naruto asked standing up and just parley dodging Kyo's fist.

The white haired teen just shrugged as he uncrossed his arms and pushed off the wall. "It wouldn't have made a difference."

"Indifferent bastard."

"ADD dumb ass."

"I do not have ADD!"

"Tell that to the nurse who wanted to give you two idiots Riddlen last year." Toushiro began to walk down the hall with Naruto and Kyo right beside him.

"Anyways, what's first on the scheduled classes." Naruto said adjusting his book bag that he quickly picked up off the ground before following Toushiro and Kyo.

"First of all idiot you missed first period, which was Science." Kyo said shoving his hands in his pocket and glaring as he walked.

"Oh damn, not science." Naruto grinned as he received a glare from Kyo and Toushiro, who happened to like science. He stopped at a locker that he had been assigned in the school's admission letter. He opened the locker and his bag quickly shoving the books in his bag into his locker. He paused at his last book on shinobi history. Another reminder. He shook his head and shoved it in harder and turned to Toushiro for the answer.

"Don't you have your own schedule." Toushiro said now leaning against a locker next to Naruto's

"We have the same schedule so I might as well ask you."

"And how do you know that?" Toushiro raised an eye brow at the grinning blonde.

"Your cousin told me."

Toushiro pushed of the locker and headed towards Naruto swinging a fist at his friend. Naruto dodged expecting this reaction and jumped back away from the white haired pre-teen. "I thought I told you to stay away from Ino-nii."

"Hey she came over to run some errands for her folks and we began talking about school. Anyways she has some crush on some emo douche bag anyways." Naruto said grinning.

"And I don't need her having a crush on a dumb ass too."

"So harsh Toushi."

"Don't call me that."

"I really don't want to interrupt this little lover's spat, but we have History next, then Shinobi History following that." Kyo said scowling at the two.

Naruto grinned, pulled out the two mentioned books and slammed his locker door. He followed Kyo and Toushiro to the next class. When they reached the enterance to the room he paused and stared at the inside. Was this what his life was going to be like for the rest of his life. Was his father just giving him the hope of going back into the Ninja world. If so he needed to find a way out or something that would make him want to stay. Because no offense to Toushiro and Kyo, he had nothing here that made him want to live a calm life. Well calm compared to his old life. He was loosing little parts of his old self slowly. This morning with the Uchiha had shown him that.

"You going inside, I promise it shouldn't be that bad."

The pointed tone of the female voice, jolted him back to reality. "Huh?" he turned to look behind him to see a female a little shorter then him standing there holding books to her chest as she smiled at him. She had a yellow ribbon holding her hair up with a weird looking hair pin in her… well hair. "Uh, yes. Yes, I'm going in." nice idiot he thought. Way to go Casanova. Maybe start talking like your age instead of four. He rubbed his head with a big grin. "And yes the class is that bad."

She bent forward so he couldn't see her eyes behind her bangs, but he could tell from the shaking of her shoulders that she was giggling, or trying not too. "How do you know, when this is the first day?"

By then Naruto had composed himself. With his foxy grin, he replied. "It's school, it has to be bad."

The smile he got in return made the little bit of real emotions he had left in him jump and do a back flip. "I can walk in with you if you want." The girl said, stepping up to him now showing him her eyes. "If your okay with that?"

He smiled and turned to the door and they both stepped through the door only for a poof of smoke to appear. When the smoke cleared, it showed a man with brown hair and beady black eyes kneeling on the desk. Everyone ignored it except the red head, who quickly ran to a desk thinking this was the teacher.

"N-Uzumaki-San, your fa- ah your Hokage would like to see you." Naruto sighed as he headed over to Kyo and dropped his books on his desk.

"Watch these for me will ya"

"Yeah," Kyo stared at the man then back at Naruto. "You okay."

"Yeah, like I said I had an incident this morning."

"Sir-."

"Kyo!" everyone turned to look at the two as they talked. Naruto looked around sighing as he realized he really was loosing his touch. He began to rub his temples before leaning into Kyo and whispering. "Kyo, we are not apart of that world, and to tell you the truth I'm not sure we will ever be."

Naruto looked over at Toushiro who nodded back. Naruto turned toward the man he new as Yamato, one of Kakashi's fellow Anbu operatives. He turned to the new girl and smiled. "I guess I'll see you later then." He waited for a nod that came shortly and walked over to Yamato. "Ready when you are?"

Yamato nodded, put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and they were gone.

The familiar seen of the Hokage in his office with the gathered Jounin played into the view of one Hatake Kakashi. The Jounin walked into the room late as usual. His masked face, that drove many to insanity over, was buried deep in a little orange book. A few of his colleagues eyed him angrily.

"Well now that you are here we will start mission exam assignments." Said the Hokage. Kakashi put his book away here the twitch of anger inside of his sensei's voice. Naruto must of done something again. Damn. If Sasuke biting off more then he could chew with a Anbu he said he ran into, he also had to deal with Naruto in a mopy mode. Which meant, that Naruto would be flirting relentlessly with any beautiful woman he came by. Great. "Kakashi, will be heading to Suna with a Civilian that will be doing negotiations in my place."

This caught the attention of many in room as they stared at the man confused. "Hokage-sama, I'm a little confused why would a civilian be doing negotiations in your place?" Sakura asked. She had become to admire the Yondaime greatly over the years as he had saved her father's life on many occasions as team members.

"Well, Sakura, this civilian will be taking a very big responsibility in a year so I am preparing him for that position. He should be coming here shortly as a matter of fa-." The Yondaime stopped as he heard voices on the other side of the door.

"No… I shouldn't… I have a boyfriend." Came a voice which they all suspected to be the Yondaime's cute blue haired secretary.

"It's a shame, How long have you had this problem." Came a maile voice right after. "Please let me have a chance to remedy this problem."

They heard the sound of giggling before another muffled voice was hear.

"Please, the Yondaime is waiting for you."

"It's okay Yamato the old man can wait." Came the second voice.

They all turned to see what the Yondaime would do only to hear the man scream. "**NARUTO GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!!!**" the doors instantly burst open slamming against the wall, causing Shikamaru to jump awake as he was leaning against the door sleeping.

Naruto walked in looking to the left as he heard the other teen jump. "Ah, Shikamaru, sorry about that, I didn't know you were there."

Shikamaru just shrugged and went back to sleep. Naruto smiled then turned to his dad. "Hey, if this about that Genin or Chuunin or what ever that I beat up this morning, it wasn't my fault he started it."

The group sweat dropped at this. "And why would you think this is about that?" The Yondaime said a little confused because he had not heard about this incident.

"Well" Naruto looked at Sasuke. "He's standing-.'

"Hokage-Sama, with all due respect can we get this assignment on the way." The Uchiha interrupted.

"Ah, yes sorry about that." The Yondaime sat forward. "This is Uzumaki Naruto, the civilian I was just talking about." Naruto flinched at being called a civilian and nobody missed it. "He will be the one that you will be escorting to Suna."

"Ah so I'm being sent to go renegotiate the treaty with Suna, and since I have so much in common with their Kage it should go smooth." Naruto glared at the man before crossing his arm. "If I'm to do this I want my own team, not some green horns."

"Hey!" everyone turned to Kiba to see that he had angrily stood forward. "What is a civilian like you making demands like that and calling us green horns."

"Ad I want to be re-instated." Everyone was quiet and confused at this response. Kakashi shifted uncomfortable wishing he had came a little later then he did.

"You will have to e evaluated."

"You know how strong I am."

"That doesn't matter-."

"What is your problem on me doing this-."

"This isn't the time-."

"When is the time-?'

"When I say it is."

"How convenient, always pushing things to the side."

"I can't take the chance. 

"Take what chance, what are you going to loose!"

"That! You'll redo your past mistakes!!"

Everyone became silent to stare at the two.

"Yeah, well I got to go to work, sorry us civilians have to do that because we don't have missions and such to help out." He stepped back towards the door catching Shikamaru awake and watching him. "Well it's been real, Ja Ne!" and with that the doors shut behind him and he was gone.

"Sakura," the Yondaime said quietly.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The pinkette stepped forward and bowed.

"You have three missions on this since you are not only doing your Jounin exam, you are finishing your med nin exam too."

"Yes Hokage-sama."

"Please, convince Naruto that he needs to do this." The Yondaime leaned back. "I will have his file ready for you this evening later okay."

"Hai Hokage-sama, where can I find him at this moment."

"At his work right now." The Yondaime pulled out a piece of paper and wrote the name of the place on it and the directions. "Thank you."

"Hai." With that Sakura vanished in a swirl of leaves.

The Yondaime turned to the rest of the teams and smiled. "So where we?"


End file.
